Football is being played this year! (2020 CFB thread)

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Week 14 Predictions

I actually did all right in my predictions last week, going 3-0-1 in my non-ranked games and failing only with Northwestern. So let's just get to this weekend's slate of games (FBS vs. FCS games don't count):

(1)Alabama 45 @ LSU 31
Syracuse 10 @ (2)Notre Dame 48
(3)Clemson 47 @ Virginia Tech 24
(4)Ohio State 38 @ Michigan State 20
(5)Texas A&M 37 @ Auburn 30
(6)Florida 47 @ Tennessee 13
Vanderbilt 7 @ (8)Georgia 52
West Virginia 31 @ (9)Iowa State 35
(10)Miami 37 @ Duke 13
Baylor 24 @ (11)Oklahoma 38
(12)Indiana 17 @ (16)Wisconsin 24
(13)BYU 31 @ (18)Coastal Carolina 37
(15)Oklahoma State 26 @ TCU 28
(19)Iowa 28 @ Illinois 20
Washington State 38 @ (20)USC 35
Rice 13 @ (21)Marshall 37
Stanford 15 @ (22)Washington 24
(23)Oregon 34 @ California 21
(24)Tulsa 34 @ Navy 17
(25)Louisiana 28 @ Appalachian State 35

Whew! There were a LOT of picks for me to make this week! Well, enjoy the weekend!

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Week 14 Recap (Part 1- The Top 25)

Nothing happened in the Top 8, so let's look at everyone else in the Top 25!

Ranked PAC-12 teams: Well, Oregon just lost their 2nd in a row. Super. And did I REALLY just forget that Washington was unbeaten in the PAC-12 on Friday? ...Well it doesn't matter anymore, that's for sure.

(9)Iowa State- Cool! Not only did Iowa State win as a Top-10 team, they did it easily. Problem is, they'll have to deal with Oklahoma again in 2 weeks.

(12)Indiana- Wait. Indiana won against a ranked opponent? On the road?! WithOUT Michael Penix Jr.?!? Put these guys in a "New Year's Six" bowl right now!

(13)BYU- So the Cougars finally played against a real opponent (Coastal Carolina)? And lost? ...Such a shame.

(15)Oklahoma State- Ah, I saw their loss coming.

(20)Marshall- However, NOBODY saw this coming. Marshall just lost against a 24-point underdog, who only played 3 games before this. Oh the positive side, Rice defeats a ranked opponent for the first time since 1996.

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Week 14 Recap (Part 2- Everyone else)

And now, let's see how everyone else did:

Big 12: Texas Tech only beat Kansas by 3? Fail. And Texas just scored 69 points on the road at Kansas State... but was it too late for Tom Herman?

MAC: A lot of stuff happened here; Northern Illinois and Bowling Green are still winless, while Akron now has some life. Ball State is doing well, and what's this? Did winless Eastern Michigan just defeat unbeaten Western Michigan?

SEC: Well, at least Missouri will be bowling this year thanks to a great 4th quarter comeback.

ACC: Virginia and NC State was able to win at home.

Mountain West: Hey! San Jose State is still unbeaten! Nevada is now 6-1, and New Mexico got it's first win of the year.

And finally, Colorado is now 4-0 in the PAC-12. If USC manages to win against Washington State tonight, what will the conference do for next week, hmmm?

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Week 15- Top games to watch

So COVID-19 claims another game, as Cincinnati @ Tulsa gets cancelled. And I'm actually OK with that; now they can fight it out in the AAC title game next week!
So on that note, here are the big games to watch this weekend... in no particular order. (All times are Eastern)

Illinois @ Northwestern [12:00, ESPN2] (It'll be pretty much a sad Saturday for the Big 10, as they won't have the legendary Ohio State/Michigan and Indiana/Purdue games to showcase. So by default, this is the biggest game left for the Big 10. Why, you ask? Because Northwestern is 5-1 in the Big 10 West, while Iowa is 5-2. If Iowa defeats Wisconsin and the Wildcats lose this game to Illinois...)

USC @ UCLA [7:30, ABC] (Oops! I made a mistake in my previous recap. It turns out that Colorado may be 4-0 overall, but 3-0 in the PAC-12 South. That means they're behind USC in the South, who is 4-0 in the division. One more win for the Trojans, and they're off to the PAC-12 title game!
That is, of course, IF they defeat their most hated rivals on prime-time. It won't be easy to do, however; UCLA's running game has been pretty good.)

North Carolina @ Miami [3:30, ABC] (Let's get one thing straight: The ACC race is over, as Notre Dame and Clemson are getting ready right now for their epic rematch next week. But this contest in Miami is still pretty big! I mean, Miami can confirm a spot in the "New Year's Six" by beating the Tar Heels. But if UNC wins this one, maybe THEY'LL get a New Year's invite.)

Georgia @ Missouri [12:00, SEC Network] (And on that note, Georgia is trying to get in position for a New Year's invite as well. But Missouri won't just lay down and die; they're in the Top 25 and their QB [Conner Bazelak] has over 2,000 passing yards already this year.)

Coastal Carolina @ Troy [3:00, ESPN+] (Easily the biggest game for the "Group of Five" this week. Now ESPN is giving the Chanticleers a small chance to make the playoff? Will this joyride in Conway, South Carolina EVER end? Maybe it will end right here, if Coastal underestimates the Trojans of Troy.)

Nevada @ San Jose State [10:00 tonight, CBS Sports Network] (I just recently found this out: Much like the ACC, the Mountain West is doing away with divisions for one year only. That means that it's survival of the fittest to see who'll win this conference.
And the winner of this game tonight is DEFINTELY going to the Mountain West title game. It'll either be the tough Wolfpack, or the Cinderella Spartans of San Jose.)

Western Michigan @ Ball State [12:00, ESPN+] (Had Western Michigan not lost to Eastern Michigan last week, they wouldn't be in this mess. But here we are in Muncie, Indiana, as the MAC West crown will be decided here. The winner will face Buffalo for the MAC crown next week.)

My prediction segment is next!

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Week 15 Predictions (AKA: What I'll be expecting to happen while Donald Trump still acts like a child)

(1)Alabama 53 @ Arkansas 14
LSU 13 @ (6)Florida 35
(9)Georgia 41 @ (25)Missouri 38
(17)North Carolina 27 @ (10)Miami 35
(13)Coastal Carolina 42 @ Troy 28
Illinois 17 @ (14)Northwestern 31
(15)USC 28 @ UCLA 34
Wisconsin 28 @ (16)Iowa 24
San Diego State 22 @ (18)BYU 27
Utah 20 @ (21)Colorado 28
(22)Oklahoma State 41 @ Baylor 23

Other big games:
Nevada 38 @ San Jose State 28
Western Michigan 30 @ Ball State 38
Appalachian State 37 @ Georgia Southern 24
Arizona State 27 @ Arizona 13
Michigan State 14 @ Penn State 26
Navy 19 @ Army 27
Virginia 38 @ Virginia Tech 32

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Week 15 Recap (Part 1- The Top 25)

Good news, folks! Stuff actually happened in the Top 25 this week! Let's see:

(6)Florida- Did they get exposed by LSU? Or was this really just the "look-ahead to Alabama" that everyone thought it was? Or can we just simply blame this on that Florida player throwing that shoe? Only time will tell.

(15)USC-
USC vs. UCLA - Box Score - December 12, 2020 - ESPN Clay Helton's Trojans has just overcame a strong performance by UCLA's offense to stay unbeaten. My man, Clay!

(21)Colorado- Shame about the Buffaloes, though.

(25)Missouri- Oh, you stupid Tigers defense! I thought you were gonna keep this game close, you numbskulls!

(10)Miami- Just an epic fail by Miami's run defense. Now their "New Year's Six" chances are dead.

(13)Coastal Carolina- And finally, our beloved Chanticleers. You know how Notre Dame vs. Clemson [Round 1] is the clubhouse leader for "Best game of the year"?
Coastal Carolina vs. Troy - Game Summary - December 12, 2020 - ESPN Well, this game wasn't AS good. But it DID have a fantastic finish! And CCU got their "great escape" victory here!

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Week 15 recap (Part 2- Everyone else)

Now to the games outside of the rankings:

ACC: Louisville won, Pittsburgh won against Georgia Tech [but got stiffed by GT's coach on the handshake], and I get my Virginia pick wrong.

American: Some stuff DID happen here. Memphis uses a late FG to beat Houston. And the Army/Navy game just took place... and Navy's offense sucked over in West Point.

Big 10: Oops! I forgot about Northwestern and Iowa winning in the Top 25! ...Then again, I also forgot that Minnesota was VERY short-handed at Nebraska. And they STILL won?! This "Scott Frost at Nebraska" thing just isn't working!
Oh, and Penn State and Rutgers also won, too.

Mountain West: Just know that it'll be San Jose State vs. Boise State for the conference title next week.

PAC-12: Yes, I did see that catch that Humphreys made for Stanford. And did you guys SEE the way ASU got Kevin Sumlin fired from 'Zona?

Sun Belt: App. State is a winner against Georgia Southern 34-26.

Western Michigan vs. Ball State - Game Summary - December 12, 2020 - ESPN And finally, we can't forget about that dose of craziness.

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

College Football Playoff has proved to be nothing but college corporate welfare system for royals

I needed to share this with you guys... if only because I'm mad that the Sun Belt title game got the ax.

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Championship Week- Top 10 games

But despite that blow to the system, there are still enough title games on this weekend to warrant a full countdown. So let's get this over with and present...

The Top 10 Games of Championship Week 2020​

(All times are Eastern)
10. UAB @ Marshall [7:00 tonight, CBS Sports Network] (Huh. I thought that Texas San-Antonio was gonna get the shot against Marshall, not UAB. Anyway, let's see how the Blazers fare in their 3rd straight C-USA title game as they face a Marshall team widely perceived to be the best team in that conference.)

9. Buffalo vs. Ball State {From Detroit, MI} [7:30, ESPN] (But while the UAB/Marshall game is going on, Ford Field in Detroit will indeed be open when the Cardinals face the Bulls for the MAC title. Hey, Ball State! Remember when you had a undefeated record in the MAC title game 12 years ago, only to have Buffalo ruin it?)

8. Boise State vs. San Jose State {From Sam Boyd Stadium in Las Vegas} [4:15, FOX] (Well, at least one ranked Cinderella team will get tested this week. And it'll be San Jose, as they have had a bit of fun this season. But it's now time to earn their "big-boy" pants; they'll now face the conference king-pins in Boise State with the Mountain West title on the line. Expect a QB duel between Nick Starkel and Hank Bachmeier here.)

7. Oregon @ USC [8:00, FOX] (If you were paying attention to National Signing Day coverage, USC football is starting to get back to normal when it comes to grabbing star athletes. Maybe it's because we're paying less attention to USC's coach Clay Helton and more towards "Should USC be higher up the CFP rankings?" Well, with the PAC-12 title on the line tonight, USC can keep the positive momentum going if they can stop a disappointing Oregon team from stealing their lunch.)

6. Tulsa @ Cincinnati [8:00, ABC] (Speaking of teams that should be higher up the CFP rankings is Cincinnati. In fact, the above article mostly talks about Cincinnati and their unfair plight. But here's the thing: Is Cincinnati so busy politicking for votes that they're ignoring Tulsa's fine comeback from a few lean years? Considering that Tulsa is ranked and has a great offense of their own, let's just say that the Bearcats needs to be wide awake for this AAC title match.)

5. Iowa State vs. Oklahoma {From Arlington, TX} [12:00, ABC] (This is just a simple fight between two Top-10 teams for the Big 12 championship. No more, no less. Will Iowa State complete their Cinderella run to their first-ever Big 12 title? Or has a Oklahoma team that's won 8 straight since starting 0-2 in the Big 12 remembered what made them Big 12 champs for 5 years straight?
Oh! And if things fall the right way, could Iowa State make the CFP?)

4. Texas A&M @ Tennessee [12:00, ESPN] (By the way, this is the only non-championship game on my Top 10. Anyway, I've bitched a bit about the CFP rankings on this post. But Texas A&M being at #5, I actually have no problem with [their only loss WAS to Alabama, after all]. And give them props; they're not just sitting around and waiting for things to break their way. No, they're scheduling a road game to try to EARN their way into the CFP! Expect Jimbo Fisher and his boys to put on a show here in Knoxville. But what if they don't?)

3. Ohio State vs. Northwestern {From Indianapolis, IN} [12:00, FOX] (So the Big 10 had to modify some rules to make sure Ohio State can come back to Indy to defend their Big 10 title? ...Ah, you gotta do what you gotta do. Anyway, will Ohio State show up rusty against a determined Northwestern team? Or is Justin Fields just too damn good to let that happen?)

2. Alabama vs. Florida {From Atlanta, GA} [8:00, CBS] (Was that shoe-throwing incident just an elaborate ploy by Florida to get Alabama to lower their guard here? Or is this just wishful thinking by us Alabama haters? One thing's for sure, though: Expect a epic QB duel between Kyle Trask and Mac Jones here.)

1. Clemson vs. Notre Dame {From Charlotte, NC} [3:30, ABC] (There are no "maybes" here, folks; the winner of this game will DEFINTELY get into the 4-team playoff. I could set this up more, but with Notre Dame gunning for it's first-ever conference title in football, you don't need any other set-up.
Okay, I guess I COULD tell you this: Notre Dame will also finally see what Trevor Lawrence is all about here.)

My prediction segment is next!

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Championship Week Predictions (AKA: What I am expecting to happen while I feel real sorry for Binghamton getting up to 4 feet of snow yesterday morning)

Top 25:
(1)Alabama 47 vs. (7)Florida 38
(2)Notre Dame 24 vs. (3)Clemson 30
(4)Ohio State 42 vs. (14)Northwestern 24
(5)Texas A&M 48 @ Tennessee 17
(6)Iowa State 28 vs. (10)Oklahoma 35
(23)Tulsa 41 @ (9)Cincinnati 35
Oregon 21 @ (13)USC 27
Boise State 34 vs. (24)San Jose State 24

Other big games:
UAB 17 @ Marshall 35
Buffalo 40 vs. Ball State 33
Minnesota 16 @ Wisconsin 24
Stanford 27 @ UCLA 24
Air Force 20 @ Army 24
Ole Miss 34 @ LSU 35

My time's up. You've been great. Good luck with your cleanup from Winter Storm Gail.

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

UAB tops Marshall for 2nd C-USA title in 3 years

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

A better College Football Playoff path, the best bowl games and more Champ Week thoughts

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Myrtle Beach Bowl

*sigh* So it's time to begin perhaps the strangest bowl season ever. "How do I know", you ask?
Well, it turns out that anybody [regardless of record] can get an invite for this year only. AND the fact that Army doesn't have a bowl game yet, but South Carolina does. AND the fact that a couple of bowls are still trying to pick out some teams!

What? This game on ESPN today? Oh! Well, give me 20 cents on Zac Thomas and the Mountaineers to stop the Mean Green.
My prediction: Appalachian State 24-20

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

December 22nd bowl games (All times are Eastern, and both games on ESPN)

Famous Idaho Potato Bowl: Tulane vs. Nevada [3:30]
(The QB matchup [Carson Strong vs. Michael Pratt] looks good here. But Nevada's running game... it doesn't look so good [Only 111.5 rushing yards a game]. Maybe that's why Tulane is a 3.5 point favorite here.
...Give me a dime on the underdog here!)
My prediction: Nevada 27-24

Roofclaim.com Boca Raton Bowl: UCF vs. BYU [7:00]
(So the sponsor of the Boca Raton Bowl is now some roofing company in Georgia. Maybe those guys can put on those little things on the very tip of the roof that makes it easier for ice and snow to fall off...
Oh! Sorry, I drifted off for a moment. Anyway, the QB duel here is EPIC. It's Dillon Gabriel for UCF vs. Zach Wilson for BYU! But I heard that UCF's defense is pretty bad this year, so give me the favorite here.)
My prediction: BYU 38-31

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

December 23rd bowl games (All times are Eastern, and both games on ESPN)

New Orleans Bowl: Louisiana Tech vs. Georgia Southern [3:00] (Hmm... Neither of these teams look to be world-beaters, and their offenses are pretty average. But I did notice that Georgia Southern's defense is pretty good. If La-Tech's QB Luke Anthony doesn't have a great day, the Eagles will take this game.)
My prediction: Georgia Southern 24-21

Montgomery Bowl: Memphis vs. Florida Atlantic [7:00] (You know, this is the first-ever installment of this bowl game! ...Anyway, this time I'm going with the numbers, and they say that if Memphis can stop FAU's running game, Brady White will do the rest.)
My prediction: Memphis 34-20

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Bowl games for December 24th and 25th [All times are Eastern, and both games on ESPN]

New Mexico Bowl: Hawaii vs. Houston [3:30 today] (So this is what we would have gotten if the Hawaii Bowl did take place this year... Anyway, this looks to be a pretty even game, with people expecting a lot of points to be scored. But somehow, I'm expecting the Houston defense to take charge here.)
My prediction: Houston 38-35

Camellia Bowl: Marshall vs. Buffalo [2:30 tomorrow] (So this year, we're getting a flashback to the days where there was football on Christmas Day. And we have two teams who were SO CLOSE to winning a conference title, only to fall short. But I just heard that Buffalo's stud running back Jaret Patterson is gonna play in this game. That's good enough for me right there!)
My prediction: Buffalo 31-24

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

December 26th bowl games

I'm still waiting for that "Final Fantasy V and VI" strategy guide to show up... Huh? Shoot, it's already recording! Let's get to today's bowl games (All times are Eastern)

SERVPRO First Responder Bowl: Louisiana-Lafayette vs. Texas San-Antonio [3:30, ABC]
(Both of these teams are having perhaps their best season at the FBS level this year. So let's focus on everything else; did you know that UTSA's running back Sincere McCormick has 1,345 rushing yards this year? And if the Cajuns can stop Sincere, then they'll cap off a wonderful season with a win?)
My prediction: Louisiana 35-28

Lendingtree Bowl: Georgia State vs. Western Kentucky [3:30, ESPN] (Player stats for this game are pretty even, but I noticed something weird about this weak-looking matchup. It's the fact that Georgia State's defense is a little porous, but the Hilltopper offense is VERY weak [only 18.8 points per game]. If Western Kentucky can't score on the Panther defense, they are doomed.)
My prediction: Georgia State 27-20

FBC Mortgage Cure Bowl: Liberty vs. Georgia Southern [7:30, ESPN] (All right! It's one of the best looking bowls of the 2020 season: Two undervalued teams from the South that wants to end fabulous 2020 campaigns with a win. And we were supposed to get this game earlier in the year, but we didn't, but we're now getting it here!
As for the game itself, Liberty will have QB Malik Willis while Coastal will have QB Grayson McCall. And I'm expecting some good performances from other star players... and for Coastal's Cinderella run to hit midnight.)
My prediction: Liberty 37-34

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

December 29th bowl games

Ahem... My bowl picks for today [All times are Eastern, and both games on ESPN]:

Cheez-It Bowl: Oklahoma State vs. Miami [5:30] (Wait. The Cheez-It Bowl is taking place in Orlando this year and not Arizona? That's weird. Anyway, you don't really need any big-time setup for this game. Not when you have Top 25 teams that can put up serious points face each other. I guess the big question is which QB is gonna put up more points: D'Eriq King, or Spencer Saunders?
...Let me take the QB that makes fewer mistakes.)
My prediction: Miami 38-35

Alamo Bowl: Texas vs. Colorado [9:00] (I know the numbers are very uneven in this bowl matchup, but Texas played QUITE a few more games than Colorado. So let's focus on everything else: Texas is playing basically a home game, with their coach really needing a win to get 2021 going on the right foot. And they're facing a former Big 12 rival in Colorado, who does have a good rushing game. Trouble is, what will happen if the Buffaloes can't get that running game going?)
My prediction: Texas 34-27

More bowl picks to come...

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

December 30th bowl games

The shipping industry is struggling with all of our orders we placed online. "How do I know, you ask?" Well, I ordered a new controller for my Switch, and Amazon said it'll come to me by January 13-18.
If that happened to you guys too, let me know. Otherwise, let's get to the bowls for today [All times are Eastern, and both games on ESPN]:

Duke's Mayo Bowl: Wake Forest vs. Wisconsin [12:00] (If you guys are confused about which bowl game this used to be before Duke's Mayo got a hold of it, you're not alone. But don't worry, I checked. And this used to be the Belk Bowl.
Anyway, I'm surprised that Wisconsin is a 9.5 point favorite in this game. I mean, Wake Forest is playing close to home. Their offensive numbers are WAY better than Wisconsin's. Their QB looks more explosive than Wisconsin's. And their defense... completely sucks?! Well, that explains it.)
My prediction: Wake Forest 34-31 (Mainly because I don't know if the Badger offense can take advantage.)

Goodyear Cotton Bowl: Florida vs. Oklahoma [8:00]
(Ah, finally. A bowl game with a "drop-everything" matchup. It's two Top-10 teams squaring off, with Florida's offense looking absolutely amazing [just ask Alabama] and Oklahoma shaking off a bad start to win another Big 12 title [and you can thank that defense of theirs]. And don't forget the QB showdown; it's Oklahoma's Spencer Rattler taking on Florida's Kyle Trask.
Here's the problem for Trask: His top 4 receivers are sitting out this game for various reasons. Will he still sling it down the field, or lean on the running game to win this?)
My prediction: Oklahoma 41-34
​

More bowl picks still to come...

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

December 31st bowl games

It's the day before Shaun Wade and Ohio State gets their shot at redemption against Clemson [and maybe something will happen in Arlington, too]. But until then, here are the bowl games that'll be on as we kiss 2020 good-bye [All times are Eastern]:

Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl: Tulsa vs. Mississippi State [12:00, ESPN] (Normally when a "Group of Five" school faces an SEC school, it doesn't end well. But ESPN has made a convincing argument why Tulsa may win this contest: Their defense. It should be able to stop Miss. State's run game [since it's very poor], but will it stop Will Rogers and the pass game?)
My prediction: Tulsa 31-28 [Either way, don't be surprised by the outcome]

Offerpad Arizona Bowl: Ball State vs. San Jose State [2:00, CBS] (It turns out that Offerpad is a real-estate company... with pretty average reviews. But forget about the sponsor; I'm actually excited for this bowl game. It's "Champion vs. Champion" with Ball State [with their first conference title since 1996] and San Jose State [with their first conference title since 1991] ready to fight.
And I already know what Ball State has to do to win: Crack that Spartan defense wide open [since it's been pretty darn good all season].)
My prediction: San Jose State 27-21

Liberty Bowl: West Virginia vs. Army [4:00, ESPN] (Army was originally supposed to play in the Independence Bowl [I think], but since that was cancelled, they're in Memphis instead to face West Virginia. Hey! That actually worked out well for both schools!
Anyway, I know what type of game this will be already: A low-scoring, ugly type of game... which is what Army football thrives on. But there's always the fear that West Virginia can break the Army defense and speed things up... which will work in their favor.)
My prediction: West Virginia 24-20 [Mainly because WVU's defense isn't too bad, either.]

More bowl picks to come...